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Montgomerie and Schofield round out newest World Golf Hall of Fame class

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Former European Tour CEO Ken Schofield (left) and Colin Montgomerie (right) were joined by World Golf Hall of Fame CEO Jack Peters (second left) and current European Tour CEO George O'Grady as Schofield and Montgomerie were announced as the final members of the next Hall of Fame class.

Colin Montgomerie and Ken Schofield share, as player and administrator respectively, a special affinity with both the European Tour and the Ryder Cup, and they will be honored for their contributions to the game next year when they are inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Montgomerie, elected through the International Ballot, and Schofield, selected through the Lifetime Achievement Category will be honored along with fellow 2013 inductees Fred Couples, Willie Park Jr. and Ken Venturi at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on May 6, 2013, at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla.

European Tour CEO George O'Grady and Hall of Fame CEO Jack Peter made the official announcement Tuesday in London.

"Colin Montgomerie and Ken Schofield will be excellent additions to the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum," said Peter. "The Class of 2013 is a wonderful snapshot of the rich, international history of the game. We look forward to celebrating all of the achievements of this distinguished group at the 2013 Induction Ceremony."

Montgomerie dominated the European Tour in the 1990s, finishing No. 1 seven times in succession from 1993 and then capturing another Harry Vardon Trophy in 2005. The Scot turned professional in 1987, following his second Walker Cup appearance, and won 31 European Tour titles -- a record by a British player -- including three successive BMW PGA Championships and, in total, 40 tournaments worldwide.

"Colin's achievement in winning the Harry Vardon Trophy eight times, including seven in a row, took considerable talent, skill, imagination, endurance, physical strength and mental resilience," said O'Grady. "Any aspiring and ambitious golfer on the European Tour today craves the opportunity to win The Race to Dubai, which has succeeded the Order of Merit, just once – to do it eight times is universally viewed as a superhuman feat.

"Colin became European No. 1 for the eighth time in 2005 which, coincidentally, was the year I succeeded Ken" as European Tour CEO, added O'Grady. "Unquestionably, Ken's contribution to The European Tour is incalculable. His vision, passion and reservoir of knowledge established the foundations that we enjoy today and, like Colin, he has enthusiastically supported and taken enormous joy from Europe's recent triumphs in the Ryder Cup."

In eight successive Ryder Cup appearances from 1991, Montgomerie created a remarkable record of being unbeaten in the singles with six wins and two halves in addition to winning nine and a half points in 14 foursomes and seven points from 14 fourballs. He then went on to captain the European Team that regained the Ryder Cup in Wales in 2010.

Montgomerie, who received Member of the British Empire (MBE) honors in 1998 and then Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2005, will be eligible to compete on the European Senior Tour when he celebrates his 50th birthday on June 23 next year.

"It is a wonderful surprise to hear that I will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame next year," said Montgomerie. "I know I am very fortunate to have enjoyed such a successful career playing the game I love and it makes me feel very proud that my achievements have been recognized in this way. While my eight Order of Merit wins were very special, as everyone knows my Ryder Cup experiences have provided the very best moments in my career and receiving this great honor is the icing on the cake."

Schofield became First Secretary and Executive Director of the European Tour on Jan. 1, 1975, succeeding John Jacobs. When he took the helm, the European Tour staged 17 official events and when he retired at the end of 2004 there were 45 official events, in addition to 29 European Challenge Tour events and 21 European Senior Tour events.

Schofield initiated global expansion for the game when he took the European Tour outside of the Continent for the first time in 1982 with the playing of the Tunisian Open so beginning a structure whereby the Tour positioned itself internationally – co-sanctioned tournaments with other Tours now total 164 since the inaugural one in South Africa in 1995, with more opportunity and incentive for the players in first the majors, then the World Golf Championships.

"I am delighted not just for myself but also for the European Tour," said Schofield. "This is an honor for absolutely everyone who in the last 40 years helped the Tour become what it is today. For me it is quite unexpected and I am both delighted and humbled that I should be given a place in the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum in the company of so many great names who have together contributed to making the game of golf so special in our lives. "

Comments

bagroomguy

5/12/2013

Schofield is so biased towards Europeans.......................give me a break